McKibben Muddies the Already Septic Waters of American Christianity

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/nov/23/america-christian-evangelical-discrimination-immigration

I've read so many essays like this in recent years, well meant, making many excellent points but always out of focus, off, and ultimately as problematic as what as being critiqued.

The Sweet Taste of Vomit

https://petehurst.com/wealth-is-not-the-problem/

I was sorry to see (but not terribly surprised) the confused publishers of The Aquila Report endorsed this article by republishing it.

Hurst is a former PCA pastor who still speaks in PCA/OPC circles. He retired from the ministry and decided to get into real estate and get rich. He justifies this by means of Kuyperian argument. He is unapologetic in his celebration of wealth and the 'good life'.

Feminism and European Evangelicalism

https://evangelicalfocus.com/european-evangelical-alliance/33099/women-in-leadership-conference-a-triumph-of-courage-competence-and-unity

The call for women in leadership is cast in somewhat nebulous terms. How do they mean this? In ministry? Society? Business? Government? It's unclear.

Regardless, all of these options are problematic and cast womanhood in other than Biblical terms. Once again this is feminism on full display within Evangelicalism. By moving the goalposts they can insist they are 'conservative' feminists countering radical feminism - even though only a generation ago these same women would have been considered radical feminists.

The Politics of Orthodoxy in Old Bessarabia

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Romanian-and-Moldovan-Orthodox-Christians-in-conflict-64314.html

I have previously reported on the contest within Eastern Orthodoxy over the question of Moldova - an episode that somewhat parallels events in Ukraine.

American Pragmatism and the Justification of Christmas

https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/reformers-disagreement-on-christmas-yields-lessons/

The Reformers were divided on the question of Christmas celebration.

The Church historian in question suggests we split the difference. Luther was for the celebration of Christmas and all of other traditions that he deemed did not specifically undermine or contradict the gospel. The Reformed wing of the Magisterial Reformation tended to argue that ecclesiology is also regulated by Scripture and therefore Christmas was suspect.

Davis dodges the theological issue and tries to create a binary dilemma between sacred and secular elements of the Christmas celebration - enjoy it, but be careful.

But that's not the issue if we're talking about the divide between the Reformers. This is to miss the point entirely.

Mysteries Overcome by Philosophical Discipline are not Mysteries

https://www.challies.com/articles/difficult-does-not-mean-cryptic-and-mysteries-arent-meant-to-mystify/

Challies is a popular figure within New Calvinist/Evangelical circles. He rightly denounces the counterfeit mysteries that seem to be so popular in Evangelical and Charismatic circles - the Bible code books, visions of heaven and hell, hidden prophecies tied to contemporary politics, or perhaps the latest 'key' to understanding the Dispensational End Times scheme. There are plenty of examples we could point to and Challies rightly denounces this tendency.

But then he said a few things that I found to be troubling.

The Latest Vatican Betrayal of Chinese Catholics

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Henan-gets-a-new-bishop-while-churches-remain-off-limits-to-under-18-64424.html

Leo XIV has now followed Francis in his betrayal of Chinese Catholics. The underground bishop Zhang Weizhu was effectively thrown under the bus in favour of the Beijing approved prelate Li Jainlin, now bishop of Xinxiang. Further, the ruling CCP intends to enforce it's ban on under 18-year olds - an affront that the Vatican seems willing to kow-tow to.

Why would the CCP ban under 18's apart from a hope to indoctrinate them - in the hope that they will abandon Catholicism?

Why would the Pope agree to this?

Why Biblical Christianity is Being Abandoned by Conservative Christians

https://ironsharpensironradio.com/2025/11/20/november-19-2025-show-with-dr-david-a-harrell-on-why-america-hates-biblical-christianity/

When I saw that Chris Arnzen was going to cover the topic of Why America Hates Biblical Christianity, I decided to listen. I wondered if his guest would peel back all the layers of ideology, history, and obfuscation and touch on some of the core and foundational problems with the American mindset. Well, that just turned out to be wishful thinking.

The Netflix Documentary on Dominionism in Brazil

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-end-of-road-for-bolsonaro.html

As a follow-up to the recent piece I wrote concerning Bolsonaro, I decided to temporarily subscribe to Netflix - basically so I could watch a couple of documentaries, at which point I'll dump the otherwise worthless subscription. Netflix was helpful back in the day when I could receive all manner of foreign and obscure films via their DVD in the mail service. The rise of other subscription services led to a decline in the Netflix library and over time I found the platform to be of decreasing value. Once every couple of years I'll turn it on for a month, get caught up on some documentaries and then shut it off again.

The End of the Road for Bolsonaro?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/28/support-dissolves-as-jair-bolsonaro-starts-jail-term

It would seem Jair Bolsonaro grew desperate and attempted to remove his tracking anklet which resulted in the judge insisting that (since his appeals were exhausted), he immediately begin serving his 27 year jail sentence.

Western Media's Latest Episodes of Anti-Putin Spin

Putin is a thug and murderer and thus he's cut from the same cloth as many US leaders and their proxies. I'm not a fan of him or his policies and yet it's striking to me just how frequently Western media spins coverage of him, his statements, and his actions.

Palestinians as Mosquitoes

https://www.972mag.com/gaza-human-shield-mosquito/

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/5/29/israeli_soldiers_using_palestinians_human_shields

https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-army-human-shields-80f358dd2c87a1123f26ffada159701c

This story broke wide open back in May and since then I've watched and waited. Would any Christian outlets cover this story? Would any self-described Evangelical 'news hounds' like FLN's Bobby Price dare to report on this?

The answer is no.

Trump Pardons Honduran ex-President

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2024/06/dictators-and-drug-dealers-americas.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kpm0rvxepo

The Mainstream Media is actually giving this latest Trump pardon story some attention - even while it all but ignored Orlando Hernandez's conviction and sentencing last year.

Anti-Semitism and the GOP - Then and Now

https://forward.com/opinion/524649/trump-destroyed-guardrails-against-antisemitism-gorka-kyrie-kanye/

The concept of Anti-Semitism has become confused in our day. There is a kind of three-fold debate over race-based Anti-Semitism associated with Right-wing ideology, Anti-Zionism opposed to the state of Israel and its policies vis-à-vis the Palestinians, and even some other forms of Anti-Semitism which often defy the Left/Right divide, focusing on the corrupt nature of Western Capitalist (or for some Globalist) society and the role Jews play in the banking, academic, and political world - and of course the Hollywood and media-entertainment complexes.

Western Deals with Rwanda

https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/rwanda-exports-critical-mineral-tungsten-concentrate-to-the-us-for-the-first-time/jcl63ne

The article only mentions it in passing but there's a suspicion connected to the 'conflict free' minerals coming out of Rwanda. Under Paul Kagame, Rwanda has long involved itself in the affairs and ongoing wars of Eastern Congo - primarily in their support of the M23 militia. Time will tell if the present peace does in fact hold.

PBS:Frontline on the AfD

Last year Frontline ran a documentary on the Alternative for Germany (AfD) which I made a point of watching. Generally I find that PBS does a decent job covering domestic issues and yet like so much of US media is sub-par when it comes to foreign issues. And I remember being less than impressed with the previous coverage of German politics.

Christians Aiding the Trump Cover-Up

After all the efforts to cover up Trump's connections to Jeffrey Epstein, the GOP base and now the White House have capitulated. What has already been revealed is telling and yet not in the least surprising. We already knew what Trump was.

And we'll see whether or not Pam Bondi intervenes and withholds documents due to 'pending or ongoing investigations'. It was no accident that Trump ordered to start investigating Clinton and others in conjunction with his seeming capitulation.

The Nigeria Controversy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I734EZXvHqM

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/10/2/no-bill-maher-there-is-no-christian-genocide-in-nigeria

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/1/trump-threatens-to-launch-attacks-in-nigeria-over-killing-of-christians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoywuyiRY_w

https://africa.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-there-a-christian-genocide-happening-in-nigeria/

https://www.africanews.com/2025/10/17/nigeria-denies-ted-cruzs-christian-genocide-claims//

The first link is to a recent episode of Al Jazeera's Inside Story. One of the panelists is from the Right-wing Hudson Institute. Despite the fact these panelists argue that to simply call what is going on in Nigeria 'a Christian genocide' is misleading and an oversimplification, there are those who will continue to insist this is what is taking place. There are even Christian leaders in Nigeria protesting this representation by the American Right.

DeYoung, Wilson, and the Delusions of Chivalry

*updated 17 Nov 25 

https://clearlyreformed.org/in-search-of-chivalry/

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-wilson-moscow-mood.html

DeYoung is to be commended for his challenge to Doug Wilson and his cultish and even fascistic understanding of masculinity. I was thus surprised to find this article by DeYoung in celebration of Medieval Knighthood and its supposed virtues. In reality, DeYoung presents us with an idealised and even romanticised portrait of Christendom's warrior class. The reality is something quite different.

Lobbyists Who Pose as Pastors and the Ministries that Attempt to Cover-up Their Crimes

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-announces-conviction-new-york-political-party-leader

https://wng.org/sift/family-policy-director-jailed-for-campaign-finance-errors-1753457727

https://www.thelcn.com/news/livingston-county-conservative-party-chairman-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-party-funds/article_605fd85f-fad5-4b51-b6e9-85f96180f749.html

Jason McGuire is a regular fixture on the Family Life Network (FLN). Based in Bath, New York, the Evangelical radio station covers an area from the eastern border of Ohio to the Catskill Mountains - from Lake Ontario all down through Northern and Central Pennsylvania. The station is ubiquitous - at times it seems to dominate the airwaves with multiple frequencies overlapping and drowning out other signals. It's odd though because whether one is wandering through Buffalo, Johnstown, State College, Scranton, or Binghamton - one does not feel a strong Christian presence. Sometimes I wonder, who is listening to this? Of course FLN's watered down pop culture Christianity with its cheap grace gospel doesn't lend itself to a strong witness. The tattooed vaping girl with the green hair standing outside a Sheetz gas station/convenience store may in fact be an FLN-type Evangelical who attends church a half-dozen times a year, has been assured of salvation, and yet doesn't know the Scriptures, and cannot even begin to explain or elaborate the faith apart from some emotional expressions.

This kind of Christianity is also dominant on college campuses. My son attends a Bible study wherein many of the Christians present will admit they haven't even made it through the New Testament. Obviously, they know next to nothing about Christian doctrine and the understanding of Church history doesn't extend beyond the last decade.

Is this even Christianity at all?

You Will Love and Celebrate Charlie Kirk

https://www.npr.org/2025/10/11/nx-s1-5550366/charlie-kirk-social-media-firings

There are many stories similar to this one that have been lost in the fog since the September assassination of Kirk. The irony here is that the 'Alexandra' in question was only using Kirk's own words and morally dubious framing of the Paul Pelosi attack - which was attempted murder. She more or less quoted Kirk and yet because it was directed against him - it turned her life upside down.

The Crisis in the American Church and the Underlying Assumptions (and Worldly Givens) the Church Refuses to Address

https://virgilwalker.substack.com/p/the-sermons-the-church-refuses-to

Once again Virgil Walker manages to raise some valid points and then miss the larger point. Has the modern Church succumbed to worldliness in the realm of gender and family structure? Absolutely, and this is even a problem in circles that otherwise are deemed to be very conservative.

The Fallacy of Veteran Veneration by Evangelicals

https://www.evangelical-times.org/are-nonconformists-hypocrites-on-remembrance-sunday/

*You may not be able to read the entire article without a subscription. The Evangelical Times has restricted a lot of its content in recent years.

In the linked article, Mike Judge of Manchester writes:

"Remembrance Sunday is not about endorsing every decision of government, nor about glorifying war. It is about acknowledging sacrifice — the high price paid by those who laid down their lives in the service of others. That principle, of self-giving love, resonates deeply with the gospel we proclaim. “Greater love hath no man than this,” said our Lord, “that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Soybeans and Argentina - Economic Nationalism or Political Economics?

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/22/why-us-soya-bean-farmers-are-upset-with-trumps-20bn-argentina-bailout

It's not something you hear about in Right-wing circles, but America's agricultural sector is not happy with Trump. Now since this article appeared on Al Jazeera at the end of October, the soybean situation has changed as Trump has cut a deal with Xi Jinping - though Chinese assessments don't seem to match the White House's rhetoric. China is once again buying American soybeans and so the situation has improved - at least as some see it. Others say even this is not panning out the way the White House has marketed it. Tariffs remain, and Beijing is signalling that it's looking more and more to Brazil to meet its demand. In other words, the reality seems a little more murky and complicated than how Trump would present it.

One Nation - Two Masters: The Confusion that is Sacralist-Nationalist Evangelicalism

https://cne.news/article/4851-why-one-nation-can-never-serve-two-masters

We read in Matthew 6.24:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Not long ago I head Charlie Kirk twist this passage and use it to justify nationalism. You have to serve and love your country or not. You can't have divided loyalty. It was a complete distortion of the passage as it actually precludes the very nationalism Kirk was arguing for. Kirk was advocating a divided loyalty that contradicted the words of Christ.

Western Media and How it Frames Resistance

https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/09/08/the-shanghai-cooperation-organization-and-brics-2025-eurasias-re-alignment-in-the-face-of-late-stage-barbarism/

For those who follow the meetings and agendas of groups like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) or BRICS, Hudson's explanations are nothing new. However, his relation of this agenda to Western media coverage is critical and telling, as it's clear the media doesn't actually want the public to engage. These meetings and organisations are utilised by the media as a means of stoking fear and anxiety.

Backing Zelenskiy's Corrupt Regime

https://www.politico.eu/article/dark-side-zelenskyy-rule-ukraine/

When Politico is reporting this, it suggests it might be just the tip of the iceberg. It's more than a little ironic that Zelenskiy, the darling of NATO is in fact turning into a Putin-like ruler - crushing his opposition, using the courts to silence and imprison them, and in many ways erecting a regime of fear.

Redeeming Public School at the Expense of Homeschooling

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-education-department-oklahoma-public-schools

Aside from the pathetic notion of PragerU videos being used for public school curriculum, the interesting thing to me about all this is that the supposed reform and redemption of public schooling will (in theory) lead to a boost in enrollment - and consequently a set-back for Christian Homeschooling.

Liberal and Establishment Offense at the Department of War

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgr9r4qr0ppo

Last month (September 2025) the Trump administration and Secretary Hegseth changed the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. The move upset some as it contradicts their understanding of the military and its role related to American foreign policy. Others saw it as characteristic of the kind of toxic bombast Trump has become known for. Hegseth is keen to promote his 'warrior ethos' - a twisted and heretical form of Crusader Christianity. This is further exemplified by his dressing down of generals and his celebration of aerial assassinations in the Caribbean.

A Distorted Scandal in the UK

https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-cautionary-tale-of-sophie-from-dundee

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/4/5/the-uks-grooming-gang-scandal-is-about-race-class-and-misogyny

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65174096

https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/08/30/sophie-of-dundee-and-the-online-rights-bs-machine/

Some of you will already be familiar with the scandal surrounding 'Sophie' from Dundee. In the wake of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska, this story has fallen by the wayside. But it has also faded away because it was (at least in part) a case of hype.

A Twisted Understanding of Traditional Roles

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/sep/21/fascism-women-homemaker-trad-wife

I won't deny there are Neo-Nazis within the ranks of Trumpism and there are ugly currents at work within some Christian circles that are able to tap into various cultural traditions and gain traction.

Western Liberalism vs. Tribalism in Spain

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/06/spain-local-authority-ban-muslims-public-facilities-religious-celebrations

The particulars of the vote are a little tricky, but essentially VOX engineered the passage of this bill which only allows for public facilities to be utilised by groups that are approved by the local authority, groups which fit their conceptions of Spanish identity. Clearly some are tying this in with Christianity, specifically to counter Islam.

A CREC Theonomist Cheerleading the Secretary of War

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/22/pastor-joshua-haymes-pete-hegseth

As these so-called Christians bring disgrace on the Church and sow confusion as to its testimony, we are forced to navigate these pestilential waters, decrying the errors of the heretics and the misunderstandings of the lost who in some cases criticise things they do not understand.

Rejecting both Materialist Psychiatry and Politically Motivated Anti-Psychiatry

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/8/8/trump-and-the-global-rise-of-fascist-anti-psychiatry

This was an utterly frustrating read but it offers some food for thought, and like it or not, this is where things stand. These are the waters we must navigate.

Return to Subic Bay

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/subic-bay-regains-its-importance-as-a-forward-base

This is just further evidence that the United States plans to stay in the Philippines and return the archipelago nation to its former status as a major host for US forces - a tip of the American spear in the strategic South China Sea.

Subic Bay was abandoned at the conclusion of the Cold War. The US relationship with Manila had been put under stress (largely due to the US backing of the 1965-1986 Marcos dictatorship), and there was a push to downsize and shift to other theatres. The straw that broke the camel's back was the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, a devastating and destructive event that left much of the region buried under ash. The clean-up costs and logistics were going to be terrible - the Pentagon decided it was time to walk away. Clark Air Base closed in 1991 and Subic Bay in 1992.

The Orwellian Absurdity of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

https://substack.com/home/post/p-175919206

It was no surprise to learn that Trump was upset that he didn't get the Nobel Peace Prize. He obviously had his heart set on it. The truth is, he doesn't deserve it. This is just part of his normal pattern of delusional sociopathic thinking. In fact his Abraham Accords (from his first term) largely set the stage for the Hamas attacks in October 2023. While the war began under Biden, Trump allowed it to continue and pushed for GOP support prior to his taking office in January 2025 and since then. He and Biden have the blood of tens of thousands on their hands. The fact that he was able to get Netanyahu to stop (against his own political interests) demonstrates that he always had the power to do so. Instead he armed Israel as it slaughtered thousands upon thousands of Palestinians and laid waste to Gaza.

Exhortations for the Nationalist Youth Wing

https://theaquilareport.com/a-word-to-the-young-men-who-are-called-christian-nationalists/

I was very pleased to read this piece by Tom Hervey. He rightly takes some contemporary Dominionists to task, assailing their postmillennial errors, and their delusions regarding Christendom-so called.

Rare Earth Metals and Myanmar's Civil War

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/india-explores-rare-earth-deal-with-myanmar-rebels-after-chinese-curbs-2025-09-10/

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/India-negotiates-with-ethnic-militias-for-Myanmar's-rare-earths-63878.html

This is a somewhat intriguing turn of events. On the one hand India and China are trying to work together in the context of BRICS - which Washington perceives with hostility. On the other hand, the US and India have at times worked together to counter China, and for a time it looked like New Delhi had moved solidly into the US camp - with huge trade and military deals in the works. But then Trump came on to the scene and everything went sideways.

A Double Standard When it Comes to Ukraine's Clampdown on Dissenting Churches

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-trials-of-pro-Russian-clergy-in-Ukraine-63875.html

We see supposedly Liberal Ukraine applying its Western values by dissolving denominations the state does not favour. How is this any different from what Russia is going to Evangelicals, Jehovah's Witness, and others? Or China with unregistered churches?

US Special Forces and Latin American Drug Cartels

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/8/14/fort_bragg_cartel_seth_harp

Undoubtedly this story will prove shocking to many, but for anyone that has ventured down this road of inquiry, it is in reality an old story going back to the end of World War II. This is just the latest chapter in a larger story of US government, CIA, and US military complicity in drug trafficking that ties in with the Kuomintang and the Golden Triangle, the Mafia and Marseilles, the French Connection and Turkish smugglers, the Contras and Colombia.

The Monroe Doctrine: Peru, Brazil, and China

https://maritime-executive.com/editorials/china-s-man-in-peru-at-center-of-chancay-megaport

Once again Peru is in the news. The United States is sending clear signals that it is unhappy with China's growing footprint in Latin America - a clear violation of The Monroe Doctrine which is (unofficially) still in effect.

As I reported in August 2025, Xi Jinping visited Peru and likewise the Peruvian president Dina Boluarte has also visited Beijing.

Georgia and the Slippery Nature of Defining Democracy

https://eurasianet.org/us-congressional-measure-to-punish-georgian-dream-government-at-risk-of-failure

Take note how the religious concept of 'backsliding' is being applied to governments that are restricting democratic processes and institutions. Democracy is indeed a key doctrinal plank in the Humanist religion. In most cases its ideals and values are simply assumed by media and government figures and yet it's never that simple.

Mohler and the Kirk Memorial: The Revival that Wasn't

https://wng.org/opinions/this-is-like-an-old-time-revival-isnt-it-1758521481

Mohler celebrates the supposed revival taking place in connection to the death of Charlie Kirk. He favourably quotes Trump to that end. An old time revival? What exactly does that mean?

Right-wing Cancel Culture, Kimmel, and McCarthyism

(updated 23 Sept) 

I've never watched Jimmy Kimmel or been a fan. Like many Americans, I've seen the occasional YouTube clip on this or that issue when he's made the news. Most of the time (I must confess) I just haven't found him to be that funny.

The FCC head suggested that Kimmel's recent comments regarding the Charlie Kirk shooter were misleading the American public. While it would seem that Robinson is unlikely to be a member of the MAGA cult, his motives still remain unclear. Some have attempted to connect him to Nick Fuentes who is a Right-wing rival and critic of Charlie Kirk. The point being is it may be more complicated. However, Right-wing media has already decided the issue and is moving forward with their propaganda and their political campaign to capitalize on Kirk's death. On that point, Kimmel was certainly correct.

The Pseudo-Patriotic Fantasies of Taylor Marshall

https://taylormarshall.com/2025/09/1249-12-strategies-to-restore-christian-civilization-dr-taylor-marshall.html

Marshall's podcast used to be a bit more substantive and I would listen to learn things about the Right-wing Catholic take on certain controversies. But lately the show has turned more often than not into a kind of dog and pony show, an ongoing advertisement for his books. Often he's spending most of his time attempting to pseudo-referee live social media interactions - which are clearly rigged. Most of the time I don't bother to listen and more than a few times I've just turned him off. He's currently pushing his new book on patriotism and so I thought I would give it another try and listen to an episode.

A Troubling Revival of Historic Anti-Semitism - A Story of Proliferation and Permutation

https://forward.com/culture/761623/theobro-antisemitism-nazi-christianity-reformed-podcast/

There is so much that could be said about Mahler, Wilson, and Webbon but in this case I was simply saddened by the fact that some of the legitimate discussions and debates surrounding the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint (LXX) are now likely to be tainted by this absurd and wicked line of discussion.

Washington is Trying to Start a War with Venezuela

https://trt.global/world/article/f3ee26bac380

The United States has been trying to overthrow the government of Venezuela for over twenty years. Washington detested Hugo Chavez and his campaign to destroy the Empire's domination of Latin America. The US attempted to oust him in 2002 but failed. Chavez remained popular until his death in 2013.

Epstein and JP Morgan

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/9/9/epstein_book

This segment will prove enlightening for those unfamiliar with certain aspects of Epstein's profile and just how he 'fit in' with the Capitalist ruling class or elite. The notion that Jamie Dimon (CEO of JP Morgan) was unaware of Epstein's relationship to the bank is absurd and obviously he's perjured himself. Why would he do this? Why would he do this with seemingly no fear of being held to account?

Unreal and Heinous Hypocrisy: A PCA Pseudo-Scandal

https://theaquilareport.com/its-been-five-years-and-the-time-is-right-an-earnest-appeal-to-the-authors-of-2020s-heinous-killings-statement-at-byfaith/

Generally speaking I have appreciated Tom Hervey's commentaries that have appeared at The Aquila Report - I even bought his book of essays on Amazon. I'm sorry to say this was an exception. He excoriates those in the PCA that in 2020 condemned the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd and these same Presbyterians even described them as heinous.

Confusing the Issue of Anti-Semitism

https://cne.news/article/4817-in-italy-antisemitism-seems-to-be-on-the-rise

This kind of conflation of Anti-Zionism and Anti-Semitism has become a self-fulfilling prophecy as seen with the Minneapolis Shooter or in the case (as cited in the article) of the French-Jewish tourists in Italy.

The Christians who Bombed the Christians of Nagasaki

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/08/09/atomic-bombings-at-80-the-very-un-christian-nagasaki-bomb/

Growing up I always heard apologias for the use of atomic weapons but few discussed specifically what happened on August 9, 1945 and the place of Nagasaki within the framework of Japanese culture.

BRICS, Brazil, and the Dollar

https://www.agweb.com/markets/pro-farmer-analysis/brics-nations-accelerate-shift-away-u-s-dollar-global-trade

https://trt.global/world/article/b73a9e89ed67 

The lead-up to the July 2025 BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro was the source of a great deal of hype and speculation. Would the BRICS bloc make a more aggressive move against the dollar?

Peru, China, and the Pentagon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlZl-NkrdNk

Dina Boluarte spent years on the Far Left connected to Marxist movements within Peru and from 2021-2022 she served as a high-ranking official in the Castillo administration. Beset by political turmoil and an ongoing constitutional crisis - including attempts to impeach him, Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve congress, seize control of the courts, and order a national curfew. He reached too far and did not have sufficient support - especially from the military. Even though she was his first vice president, Dina Boluarte did not support him or stand by him. Castillo's plan quickly collapsed leading to his arrest and impeachment in December 2022. He remains in detention as of this writing.

Uribe, Right-wing Paramilitaries, and Evangelical Media

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/8/14/ivan_cepeda_colombia_uribe_guilty_verdict

This is a topic that I've already touched on in the past, however this court case has simply confirmed not only what was already known but expanded upon the nature of the corruption and cover up.

Church Attendance under Ceaușescu

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/32218/in-communist-romania-i-was-made-an-example-of-religious-persecution

This article inadvertently reveals some of the misperceptions of life under communism. You certainly could attend church but if you did, there was a price.

Along with the bulk of the public, as a church attender you would not be a member of the Communist Party. In addition you would find many jobs and places to live closed to you. You could live and make a living, but as a Christian you were part of an underclass.

The Latest Echo of the Shapur Effect

https://www.churchinchains.ie/news-by-country/middle-east/iran/iran-state-media-accuses-recently-arrested-christians-of-espionage/

In the 3rd and 4th centuries large numbers of Christians lived in Persia - and given that the Roman Empire persecuted them, they were welcome. Rome and Persia had already been engaged in centuries of war and it would continue until the 7th century and the Islamic conquest. Persia was a haven for these Christian communities.

Project Esther's McCarthyite Campaign

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/31/what-is-project-esther-the-playbook-against-pro-palestine-movement-in-us

Likud has long collaborated with the GOP, not only on issues such as Project Esther, but in partisan politics as well. Time and again, Israel has helped Republicans undermine not only presidents' Clinton, Obama, and Biden, but other figures connected to the Democratic Party. They work in tandem, with common interests.

Media Cover-ups and Fragmentation over Gaza Policy

https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-civil-war-erupts-over-gaza-as-gop-rep-says-starve-away/

In some respects it seems like the situation in Gaza is getting less and less coverage even while the situation remains acute, with at least dozens dying every day, killed by bullets, bombs, starvation, or other forms of deprivation. The media is derelict and refuses to properly cover the story nor the fact that Israel has killed over two hundred journalists, and is clearly unwilling for anyone to do on the ground reporting.

German Christians and the AfD

https://cne.news/article/4807-may-german-christians-vote-for-the-afd

Huizinga is an activist associated with the Acton Institute, Federalist Society, and other Right-wing think-tanks. As such, his attempt to muddy the waters regarding the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is unsurprising.

Evangelicals and Misquoting the Bible in Public

https://religionunplugged.com/news/link-relcanonical-hrefhttps/the-department-of-homeland-security-quoting-the-bible-on-instagram%E2%80%9D%20/%3E%20%E2%80%9D

It's a shame, but Evangelicals in their persistent misguided zeal love any public quotation or reference to the Bible - even when it is being tortured, manipulated, and abused by politicians or celebrities. They think that somehow they've scored some kind of culture war victory because someone used Scripture - usually to justify something they're doing that has nothing to do with the verses in question.

An American Military Presence in the Caucasus Sold as Peace

https://eurasianet.org/trump-brokers-potentially-game-changing-deal-with-armenia-azerbaijan

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/07/us-deal-armenia-azerbaijan-00499285

I must say if this deal holds and comes to fruition, it will be quite the feather in Donald Trump's cap. Or if it goes wrong, it may be viewed by historians in terms of folly and provocation.

Right-wing Fallacies Regarding Population and Social Ethics

https://breakpoint.org/the-fallacy-of-controlling-population/

This was but one of many BreakPoint episodes touching on the issue of population control. At times it almost seems as if they (and many on the Right) have an obsession about this issue. It's ironic given the fact that it seems clear to everyone else that they really would rather not see some segments of the population reproduce but rather are frustrated because the kind of people they want to have big families - are choosing not to do so.

And why is this? I can't decide if they really don't understand or are deliberately resorting to smoke and mirrors in order to shift the blame.

The Christian Right in Europe, Book Recommendations, and a Case of Confused Worldview

https://cne.news/article/4772-seven-books-to-sharpen-your-christian-worldview

The article's set-up leads me to believe that once again the evocation of 'worldview' is not in the sense of a comprehensive and coherent system of thought but rather the rubber-stamping of an agenda. As such, it is in keeping with its frequent use within American Evangelicalism.

Decadence, The Fall of Empires, and the Blind Guides Promoting Christian Mammonism

https://virgilwalker.substack.com/p/from-rome-to-rainbow-flags-when-empires

Walker is right in a sense but he largely misses the point. Perversion is a symptom of decadence which is part of a larger complex of events and cultural shifts that signals collapse.

The Multifaceted Competition Continues in Central Asia

https://eurasianet.org/us-strikes-mineral-deals-with-uzbekistan-tashkent-report

https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyz-pm-gets-polite-brush-off-by-us-business-executives

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/china-intrudes-in-russias-backyard-as-moscow/

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Central-Asia-and-Beijing-after-the-Astana-summit-63374.html

https://eurasianet.org/united-states-and-russia-angling-for-influence-in-turkmenistan

https://eurasianet.org/rumors-of-chinese-land-deals-spark-public-unease-in-uzbekistan

As Ankara seeks to work with Azerbaijan in the creation of a new energy and trade corridor connected to Central Asia, the other big players are also quite active and the region is astir.

Smoke and Mirrors: Trump's Trade Deal with China

https://apnews.com/article/trump-china-trade-tariffs-rare-earth-minerals-cbd2482bd2b3a7ce8d47030c4ff1c3d4

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-china-2672360236/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/27/trump-says-us-has-signed-trade-deal-with-china

Trump will tout everything he does as supreme, the greatest ever. Every move is a triumph, a victory - but he's saying very little about the trade deal with China. For all the noise he made about China, his tariff plan, and all the rest, one would think he would want to trumpet this 'success'. And yet like his plan to annex Greenland - he's moved on it would seem.

Evangelicals and the Shadow of War in Europe

https://cne.news/article/4780-as-war-looms-in-europe-some-christians-pursue-pacifism

Articles such as this are always going to grab my attention. I was disappointed to read the statement of Fernando Enns who apparently is unfamiliar with the argument that taking up arms in warfare is viewed by war-advocates as self-defense on a large scale, or even better they will argue that invading a country is an act of love - defending people from a murderous tyrant for example.

More Ecclesiastical Cover-Ups

https://coreyjmahler.com/adolf-hitler-christian/

I already touched on this issue a couple of years ago when LPR's Issues Etc. chose not to cover a story of an LCMS minister caught up in the attempt to overturn the 2020 election in favour of Donald Trump.

The Calvinist Legacy in South Africa

https://g3min.org/book-review-the-puritans-in-africa-by-w-de-klerk/

Cantrell offers some insightful commentary regarding Afrikaner Theology and how it devolved into Apartheid. I'm not sure I buy the True/False Calvinism distinction though. First, there's the issue and question of Calvinism which is broad and difficult to define. Second, there is the Dutch Calvinist legacy and its heavy emphasis on an integrated culture - seen particularly in the thought of Abraham Kuyper.

Starmer, New Labour, and Enoch Powell

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/13/no-10-defends-keir-starmer-language-immigration-speech-enoch-powell

When I heard Starmer's diatribe against immigrants in back in May, I thought of Enoch Powell and wondered if anyone would make the connection. They certainly did - at least in the UK.

FLN, American Evangelicalism, and the Question of Gambling

I happened to listen to a recent Family Life Network (FLN) piece on gambling. This is a frequently visited topic as it concerns both New York and Pennsylvania, the network's listening area. Both states have in recent years opened up online betting and New York and Pennsylvania have both been involved in casino expansion. In New York, the Indian reservations have become popular venues, while Pennsylvania has allowed some casinos to open up in the Poconos and there are a few horse racing venues in the state.

NATO Spending, Spanish Resistance, and Using Militarism to Enrich the Investor Class and Destroy Social Services

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/6/26/president_donald_trump_nato_iran

I was pleased to find this story touching on some larger questions that the mainstream media tends to downplay or ignore. The question of increased military budgets and militarism go hand in hand with the cutting of social services and tax cuts - some of the key economic planks of Trumpism.

Lillback's Messiah

https://georgewashingtonbible.com/pages/foreword-dr-peter-a-lillback

While perusing the nationalist idolatry and filth being promoted on some other Evangelical sites, I encountered this gem from PCA pastor Peter Lillback, who is also president of Westminster Seminary - to that institution's discredit and shame. Lillback has been known to me for many years as he is a leading champion of the syncretism I refer to as Christo-Americanism. This forward from the 'George Washington Bible' testifies to this.

Patriotic Theology: Sowing Confusion

https://tifwe.org/remembering-those-who-gave-the-greatest-sacrifice/

This was a Memorial Day-related article but it's just as appropriate for the 4th of July and indeed this whole 'Patriotic' period that seems to afflict the Church in the United States.

Freedom by Means of Authoritarianism

https://justandsinner.libsyn.com/how-the-modern-world-misunderstands-freedom-a-conversation-with-brad-littlejohn

Littlejohn of The Davenant Institute is an avowed disciple of the Doug Wilson sect and offers his appreciation to not only Wilson and Douglas Jones, but Peter Leithart. This reveals a great deal in terms of his formation.

The July 4th Miracle That Wasn't: Another Example of Why I Never Joined HSLDA

https://go.hslda.org/webmail/795273/1685324942/810b1134fcf3c3179c0f69f135fad513d1174dae55d9a1d5b2f634c5431b3f96

We homeschooled all of our children but I never wanted to join HSLDA. I know many who found them helpful or called upon them for legal aid, but I could not in good conscience give them money or turn to them for support.

Meloni, Crosetto, and the Real Face of the FdI

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence/news/italian-defence-minister-questions-relevance-of-nato/

Meloni has one face for Brussels and Washington, and another that she has revealed in her history. Has she changed? Has she mediated? Has she learned that it's one thing to campaign as an opposition party and another to actually govern? Maybe. The jury is still out.

A Deliberately Forgotten Episode in Ukraine

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/05/04/how-bob-parry-covered-odessa-fire-that-sparked-a-war/

This is not only a mostly forgotten episode but one crucial to understand the complex of events and motives that led to Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This is not to justify Putin's actions. Rather the story in this case is the need for harsh condemnation of Western media which refused to seriously cover this event (and similar stories) and revisit them during the lead up to Putin's invasion. To this day, the statements of his government have never been taken seriously and when sound bytes are played or recounted out of context the purpose is to suggest he's either insane or simply absurd.

The Grand Chessboard 2.0? - Central Asia, Iran, Israel, and the Shah

There's so much that could be said right now about events in the Middle East and the conflict between Israel and Iran and the potential for a wider war including the United States and others.

For my part I think about scenarios in which the war could go sideways or the aftermath of a regime collapse.

Mike Johnson's Corrupt Patriotism and Bogus Christianity

https://newrepublic.com/post/195266/mike-johnson-donald-trump-defense-corruption

This story from May is already outdated but the substance is still pertinent. In addition to his hypocritical defense of the January 6 protesters (especially when compared to the Trumpite faction's rhetoric concerning Los Angeles), Johnson recently spun the incident involving California Senator Padilla at the Kristi Noem press conference. He put the blame on Padilla and suggested he 'charged' the podium - which is pure rubbish and he knows it. The Senator was thrown to the ground and handcuffed - an incident that reminded me of Charles Sumner getting caned on the Senate floor in 1856. These incidents are all pieces of a puzzle that future historians will point to when commenting on the collapse of America and its pending civil war.

Evangelicals Once Again Going to Egypt

https://churchleaders.com/news/510090-anti-christian-bias-task-force-religious-discrimination.html

This so-called 'Anti-Christian Bias Task Force' is part of Trump's plan to weaponize the Justice Department and his Evangelical allies are eager to cooperate and seek a position of preference and favour in US society and the legal system.

European Evangelicals Wave the Bloody Shirt and Call it Wisdom

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/30816/rearm-europe-evangelical-leaders-in-four-countries-express-their-convictions

One might wish that Evangelical leaders would be a little more familiar with history. If so, they might raise an eyebrow at the sabre-rattling of politicians and be a little more cynical of their motivations. Make no mistake, many are motivated by nationalist interests vis-a-vis Atlanticism or the EU. Others are simply in line to profit from military expansion and militarism.

Meloni and MSI

https://cne.news/article/1753-giorgia-meloni-woman-mother-and-christian

This article proudly proclaims Meloni's roots and ties to the MSI - the Italian Social Movement, the pro-Mussolini party that was founded in the aftermath of the war. The party would splinter in 1995 with one faction merging into Berlusconi's movement and the rest into smaller parties such as the Lega Nord (just Lega today) and the National Alliance (AN) - the party that Meloni cut her teeth in. Her Brothers of Italy (FdI) emerged from the AN, but the Mussolini-based roots are clear not only terms of political-institutional pedigree but ideology.

A Tepid Rebuke of Huckabee at Best - A Whitewashing of Evil at Worst

https://theaquilareport.com/christians-stop-calling-them-monsters/

This was a bit of a frustrating read. Marion is correct in saying that terms like 'monster' get overused and an appeal can be made to that end regarding the imago dei, however any appeal to Genesis 1 must also take in the fall, the curse, death, and the fear and dread (Genesis 9) that man spreads upon the Earth - points he seemingly does not take into account.

The Real Purpose of DOGE has Been Revealed

I am hardly alone in following the coverage of the Trump-Musk schism which as of this writing continues to escalate. The media tends to focus on the dynamics of the relationship falling into all the 'bromance' talk of the present generation - a sign of the culture's decadence that has degraded friendship and has a tendency to cast all relationships and interactions into some kind of sexual terms. It's tiresome to say the least.

Sachs on Trump and the Rules Based Order

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpPRkyXrBd0

Jeffrey Sachs is something of a rising star when it comes to commentary on Trumpian economics but in particular the question of Russia and American foreign policy. Since the death of Stephen Cohen, Sachs is one of the few voices in academia that commands respect even while positing a counter-Establishment view.

Noboa Inaugurated and Ecuador's Future in the Age of Trump

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/24/ecuadors-daniel-noboa-sworn-in-for-full-term-promising-a-crackdown-on-gangs

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/12/ecuador-president-blackwater-alliance

Ecuador had been part of the so-called Pink Tide of Latin American nations that had turned turned to Left-wing governments during the George Bush era. The term of Rafael Correa (2007-2017) came to symbolize this era for Ecuador. After Correa departed office, his party continued holding power but the shift was underway. By 2021 a conservative (and pro-Washington) president was in power but his tenure was marked by controversy, corruption, and ultimately collapse.

The Fall of Phnom Penh: Short Memories and Outright Spin

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/the-fall-of-phnom-penh-the-left-has-a-short-memory/

Lately, I've been reading a lot of articles at The European Conservative and similar publications, trying to get inside the heads of these people and how they frame history and revise it. This article was no exception to what seems to be an established rule.

Inbox: The Buice Scandal

I was asked to comment about Josh Buice and the scandal surrounding him. G3 Ministries is one of the big names in New Calvinism - even though I think Buice would want to distance himself from that label.

Family Life's Latest News Farce

I caught a few minutes of the Family Life Network's (FLN) news segment the other day and I was struck by how fuzzy the line gets between mis- and disinformation. It's also noteworthy how much the network has shifted to the Right in recent years - though it's nowhere near American Family Radio (AFR) or even local stations like WDCX out of Buffalo, New York - other stations I pick up at times when I'm out and about.

Evangelical Activity in the Roman Catholic Heartland

https://cne.news/article/4508-rene-breuel-bringing-the-gospel-and-pizza-to-post-catholic-italy

I all but immediately shut down when I see this now standard Evangelical image - the pop culture guy with the headset and backlighting with a drum kit and other instruments. It's something that could be put in a history book as a typical of the period. For my part, it's something I intuitively reject and even recoil from.

Trump Tariffs and the Ethics of Capitalism

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-tells-walmart-eat-tariffs-instead-raising-prices-2025-05-17/

Trump wants Wal-Mart to 'eat' the costs of tariffs and not pass the prices on to consumers. He knows this will cost him politically as the working poor (many of whom support his movement) will be hit the hardest by the price hikes.

Historical Revisionism and a Romanian Pastor

While reading coverage of the Romanian election (with the second round slated to take place on 18 May), I was absolutely floored reading this from a pastor in Romania:

The Russian invasion of 80 years ago is not forgotten. "They distorted everything; they raped our mothers, wives, and daughters. They are less than 200 km from my home. Do I, myself, have to kill somebody? Or to watch how my family is destroyed? Will I be able to preach again from the pulpit ever in my life? Or to run away? To leave everything behind? To leave my flock behind? I am not ready for this, I don't have the strength. I am not Dietrich Bonhoeffer... I am just a simple Christian pastor who serves his Lord in Eastern Europe."

How many times in recent weeks and months have I heard BBC programmes covering the election warning about the lessons of history being forgotten and the threat of Right-wing revisionism? And then to find this?

Napolitano on Easter and Liberty

https://www.creators.com/read/judge-napolitano/04/25/taking-easter-seriously-78f98

Napolitano would have us take Easter seriously and then proceeds to make a mockery of it. I found this to be in keeping with most of his commentaries. We would do well to identify these errors and reflect on them. Have they influenced our own thinking? To what degree do they shape the thinking of Christians around us?

The Uighurs in Post-Assad Syria

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/syria-assad-hts-china-future/

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3291393/syria-xinjiang-link-china-warns-leaders-damascus-not-threaten-security-elsewhere

Foreign Policy magazine and The Economist have articles on this topic but due to firewalls there's little point in linking them.

Instead I'm linking this piece from (of all places) The Atlantic Council. It's biased to be sure (and even misleading at points) but given that it's readership is a little more high-brow, it's intelligent and touches on things that an AP story, let alone something from CNN or CBS wouldn't even address.

A Neanderthal Commenting on Cavemen

It's been more than a month since the Signal Group Chat scandal broke. This Politico piece from the end of March is dated but still relevant. Waltz has now been shifted over to UN Ambassador and Hegseth has invited further scandal. Some believe his days are numbered.

Motherhood Through a Materialist Lens

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MqvIddYMMEk

This video 'short' appeared on the NPR website promoting a podcast. The clip is only about a minute long but the implications are sweeping and eternal. Materialism is a religion and its becoming pervasive in society as its implications are being worked out and applied. It is creating a new world and a new kind of person.

Surveillance Revisionism

I happened to catch some Newsmax on a recent night and couldn't help but grin listening to the commentators drone on about the surveillance state and how the citizenry shouldn't have to give up so much of its personal data.

Many will have no problem with giving up their data to corporations - who in turn affect and shape state policy and effectively lobby the government.

Erik Prince and Trump's Deportation Shortfall

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/16/erik-prince-trump-immigration-enforcement

I suppose this article got little attention in Christian circles because few would find it newsworthy. They support Trump's anti-immigrant agenda and the fact that so-called Christians like Erik Prince would want to promote and profit from it - is not worth talking about. Undoubtedly most of them would do the same if they had the means to do so.

The Weapons that Keep Killing Long After the Battlefield Falls Silent

https://theworld.org/segments/2025/03/28/study-high-levels-of-uranium-and-lead-found-in-bones-of-iraqis-linked-to-conflict

As expected PRI's The World didn't go very deep in covering this story but to be honest I was surprised it was mentioned at all. The programme is informative but not exactly adversarial. The story of Depleted Uranium and its connections to cancer occasionally pops up in the media but the Establishment has made every effort to discount and dismiss the question.

Indonesia, BRICS, and the Demand for Nickel

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/04/21/vijay-prashad-brics-industrial-development/

I found Prashad's comments which suggested a comparison between BRICS and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to be timely and worth serious consideration. Western opponents of the NAM always considered it to be unofficially more friendly toward the Eastern Bloc - itself something of a fiction. In this case, the foes of Western Atlanticism are in BRICS and so one could say everyone's cards are on the table. However, it's important to understand why the USSR and China were happy to deal with NAM nations and the West was not. Unlike the United States they did not assume that everyone who wasn't fully on board with them was an enemy. The US has a tendency to cast geopolitics in such terms - stated so bluntly by GW Bush. "You're either with us or against us." - a stance which may or may not drive nations away in the immediate but in the long term it's a position that destroys trust and respect.

The Mostly Unnoticed Death of Richard Secord

https://www.yahoo.com/news/richard-secord-retired-air-force-155848925.html

For those of us who remember the Iran-Contra Scandal and followed and studied the story of American clandestine operations during Vietnam and after - the name Richard Secord is well known. He was the consummate spook, an intelligence operative that was involved in some pretty amazing if sordid stuff.

American Christendom and Apostasy

https://theaquilareport.com/is-america-part-of-christendom/

There seems to be virtually an endless stream of articles like this - trying to tweak definitions or steer the conversation, but always missing the point.

A Fool, Her Money, and Empirical Fantasies

I was in a coffee shop and noticed a copy of the Sunday edition (13 April 2025) of the New York Times. While perusing it, I came across a large ad placed by one Eileen Hamilton. It contains two columns, one reads 'Putin' and the other 'Hitler' meant to tease out analogies and make direct comparisons. It got my attention.

The Negative World: An Occasion for Some Hope

https://julieroys.com/aaron-renn-might-be-right-christians-face-negative-world-but-is-it-new/

After months of hearing on the radio and from podcasts and pulpits about 'the negative world' and Aaron Renn's interpretive paradigm, it's refreshing to discover at least a few voices that recognize his narrative as problematic.

Mike Johnson and Berger, the Eminence Grise

https://www.propublica.org/article/mike-johnson-evangelical-pastor-steve-berger-roommates

Given Berger's penchant and drive for Dominionist political activism, the claim that he and Mike Johnson don't discuss policy is not credible. Also, given that Berger is obviously connected (and this explains the reason why Johnson stays there), the claim is even less believable. Such arrangements are strategic - not expressions of generosity or mere hospitality. And it's not because Berger thinks Johnson is just a great guy.

A Dangerous Precedent Regarding Speech

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/02/07/medhurst-detained-by-austrian-police-accused-of-being-hamas-member-uk-investigation-against-him-extended/

Though this story dates from February it is still relevant and still a source of concern. Increasingly Western governments are equating anti-Israel and anti-Zionist speech with being pro-Hamas and tantamount to expressing support for that democratically elected political organisation.

Windsor, Ramadan, and More AFR Hype

Listening to American Family Radio (AFR) in March, I caught a story about Ramadan fast-breaking being held at Windsor Castle. As expected the story was misrepresented. They were invited by Charles - though not without controversy. He is well known as an advocate of inter-religious and ecumenical projects. For some this is controversial as he is officially the 'Defender of the Faith' as head of the Church of England.

The Ghosts of Tinian and the Growing Cold War in the Asia-Pacific

https://archive.is/EQ0TJ

I heard one Chinese analyst speak truthfully - the end-game of these tariffs is war. Hopefully a 'deal' can be reached long before then but Trump's moves are a form of warfare - even if the bullets aren't flying yet.

Trump and the Shepherds for Sale

https://religionnews.com/2025/03/10/defunded-evangelical-aid-groups-are-reaping-what-the-religious-right-sowed/

I'm sure many readers have already seen these headlines about Evangelical funding being cut by DOGE - and no doubt many caught the fact that there's something poetic about these developments.

American Militarism, the Philippines, and the Media

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/in-manila-u-s-defense-secretary-commits-to-protecting-philippines

Marcos has committed his country to the path of war, and yet is this really what the people of the Philippines want? Do they understand what it will mean when the US has bases there - when it stages missiles batteries there?

Spinning Yemen and Syria

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/27/nx-s1-5341420/syrias-transitional-leader-is-a-former-jihadist-can-he-help-stabilize-the-region

This interview was informative to a point. It was also striking in that it attempted to spin the HTS takeover of Syria. The US Establishment is so ecstatic that Assad is gone, they are willing to spin the situation in order to assuage public fears. While Robert Worth suggested Israel is less than pleased - as demonstrated by their seizure of territory beyond the Golan Heights, and the numerous strikes to cripple that nation's military capability, I still felt like the whole question of Jolani/al-Sharaa was viewed through an Israeli lens.

NATO and the 2023 Floods in Libya

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derna_dam_collapses

https://www.declassifieduk.org/why-the-media-arent-telling-the-whole-story-of-libyas-floods/

Since these events took place in 2023, it might as well be ancient history. Apart from those who follow the Middle East, this story was ignored and is by now largely forgotten.

But to ignore this is a mistake. Likewise if one wants to understand what's happening today in Sudan, Ethiopia, and what is brewing in South Sudan, the history needs to be revisited. Contemporary events cannot be understood otherwise.

The Amur Frontier Considered

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Do-the-Chinese-really-want-Siberia-62318.html

https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3654427-does-china-have-designs-on-siberia/

There is nothing particularly profound or revelatory in this article but it's worth considering and filing away. The issue of resources and the Russian Far East have come up before in history. There were those in Imperial Japan who coveted these lands and had an opportunity to invade from their colony of Manchukuo (the conquered realms of Manchuria) in the 1930's. In fact after the German invasion of the USSR in June of 1941, Stalin hesitated to bring the desperately needed troops from Siberia to the West, as he believed the Japanese would invade - something Berlin was very keen for them to do.

The Spirit of Trumpism in a Small Town

I was recently spending some time with an older man from a nearby town that I've known for many years. I've mentioned him before in other articles. He's one of those old blue-collar types that really has only one religion - America. He worships the flag, troops, firefighters, and law-enforcement. When I first knew him back in the 1990's, he liked Bill Clinton and supported Gore in the 2000 election. He's lax when it comes to morality in terms of things like homosexuality and abortion and yet takes a pretty hardline view when it comes to work ethic, foreign policy, and the like. He's pro-union if that even matters any more.

Another Example of Theonomy's Rejection of Romans 13

https://www.trex-arms.com/

I was looking at the website of one of Scott Brown's upcoming conferences on Christian Entrepreneurship. It was the usual fare from these Agrarian-Dominionist Theonomic types. I've seen it all before. I decided to look up the background and credentials on the speakers and I noticed one has the last name of Botkin which is well known in those circles. The Botkin girls in particular have generated a great deal of attention.

The New Calvinist Dismantling the CFPB

The battle continues over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The courts in some cases resist the attempts to shut it down - in other cases the courts are facilitating its termination.

CNN Fraud in Syria

https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/cnn-reporter-clarissa-wards-on-air-liberation-of-syrian-prisoner-exposed-as-fraud/

This story broke in December 2024 in connection with the fall of the Assad regime. CNN was caught red-handed in a lie. The whole thing was a set-up. One has to wonder how many other such episodes take place? It is certain though that it's getting harder to pull off. Amid all the negatives, it's certainly one of the positives of the Internet Age.

Christian Radio, Deceitful Stunts, and Distortions of Reality

The other day I was working within range of the American Family Radio (AFR) signal and I caught some of Todd Herman's show. He suggested the globalists had taken over American foreign policy and that the United States had been actively involved in the manipulation of Ukrainian politics. He pulled out material and clips from 2014 of Victoria Nuland and others to make his point. It was almost like I was listening to Democracy Now or The Grayzone.

Meloni and the Judges

https://www.politico.eu/article/giorgia-melonis-italy-judges-viktor-orban-hungary-albania-rome-court-russia-war-ukraine/

Meloni's policy has mostly been to tack toward the centre, which has given her great credibility and standing within the EU Establishment. But as the article points out, there's still a very ugly Right-wing side to her domestic policy. Politically it's brilliant as it doesn't allow domestic rivals like Matteo Salvini to outflank her, but I think it's also indicative of her true colours and the nature of her political pedigree.

Philosophical Materialism in the Church

https://www.saintstephenslutheranchurch.org/single-post/2019/08/14/where-does-religion-come-from

Virtually every time I turn on NPR there's an add for the 'Hidden Brain' show - I think it must be quite popular. Just from the clips they play, it's evident to me the show attempts to wrestle with various thought-related conundrums from an entirely materialistic standpoint. It is (needless to say) utterly godless in its approach to knowledge, ethics, existence, meaning, and a host of other questions. You are your brain - humans are just a mass of cells, and the attempt to extrapolate some kind of meaning, purpose, ethics, or hope from this model is an exercise in futility. In other words, the show is a waste of time.

The Counterfeit Zion Academy

https://www.patriotacademy.com/the-patriot-experience/

I am sorry to report that I have found this filth being promoted on Christian websites. If you click the 'about us' tab you'll find they believe they're promoting a Biblical Worldview.

Materialist Interpretations of the Modern Papacy

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/24/nx-s1-5307022/jesus-wept-author-chronicles-the-debates-roiling-the-catholic-church

I'm afraid this episode of Fresh Air typifies the increasing divide in American news coverage. No sober thinking person (let alone a Spirit-filled one) can possibly appreciate the manipulative and superficial quality of Right-wing media outlets such as FOX and Newsmax. And yet this episode of Fresh Air (which had every reason and opportunity to be interesting) proved tiresome and I became more fixated on the liberal materialist assumptions of the interviewer and guest than the actual issues being discussed.